Topics

Snubbed four years ago by Team Canada, local product Jay Bouwmeester will, at last, get an opportunity to play at the Olympics.

The St. Louis Blues defenceman was named to the Canadian roster Tuesday morning before stepping on the ice to face the Edmonton Oilers later that evening.

It’s the second time Bouwmeester will represent Canada at the Olympic tournament. He also skated for Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics at Turin, Italy.

“I got a call from Doug Armstrong (Blues GM and member of Canadian management team) this morning, it’s pretty exciting stuff,” Bouwmeester said. “It wasn’t something I was thinking about or worried about. There is a lot of real good players. I’ve been on the other side, looking in and it’s not a lot of fun.

“It’s a great opportunity and it’s something that if you have the chance to be a part of, it’s something special and it’s something you want to take advantage of.”

Bouwmeester has been outstanding for the Blues this season. Heading into Tuesday’s game against the Oilers, the six-foot-four, 212-pound, smooth-skating defenceman has three goals and 27 points in 41 games with the Blues.

He’s also logging an average of 24:20 of ice time per night, second only to defensive partner Alex Pietrangelo, who was also named to the Canadian roster

“It’s been good right from the time I got here last year, we’ve played pretty well together,” Bouwmeester said. “There wasn’t a real big transition period. We just kind of tried to play a similar game and it seemed to work out really well.

“In tournaments like that, it’s guys from all over the place and when you have someone that you’re familiar with, obviously that’s going to help.”

Bouwmeester, 30, was acquired by the Blues from the Calgary Flames at the trade deadline last season. Having played with the Florida Panthers previous to that, last year was the first time in his 11-year NHL career Bouwmeester has participated in the playoffs.

He’ll be back in the post season again this year.

“For me, coming to St. Louis, it’s been a real good experience so far,” Bouwmeester said. “We have a group that has gotten off to a good start, had a good first half of the year. I’m having fun with it and taking it as it comes, I guess.”

Despite having represented Canada at the World Junior level, the World Cup of Hockey, the ’06 Olympics and numerous World Championships, Bouwmeester was left off the Canadian roster for the Vancouver Olympics in 2010.

At the time, there was doubt whether he would be able to work himself back in to the conversation for the Sochi Games.

“Maybe that was in the back of my mind, but it wasn’t something that I absolutely set out to do,” Bouwmeester said. “But at that point, I knew that if there ever was another opportunity, you want to be there.

“As a team we got off to a good start this year and that reflects on everybody. We have quite a few guys that are going to be going to that tournament.”

In total, the Blues have 10 players participating at the Olympics. Only the Chicago Blackhawks have as many going to Sochi.

“I know from an experience standpoint, this experience is second-to-none when it comes to playing in a lot of high-level games and playing with elite competition and playing when there is a lot of stress and pressure on you,” said Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock, who is also an assistant with Team Canada. “I look at it as such a valuable experience. It’s going to do nothing but help every player that’s going to be involved. Especially for some of our younger players, it’s going to make them better players.”

Canada will be out to defend their gold medal won in Vancouver on an overtime goal by Sidney Crosby over the United States.

Canada opens the tournament against Norway on Feb. 13.

“We’ve had a coach over there all winter (former Oilers head coach Ralph Krueger) watching the opposition play,” Hitchcock said. “So we’re getting information from Ralph over what’s needed, what the opposition is playing like, what the coaches are coaching like and what systems are being played.

“We know what to expect. So the roster that we put together was a lot of information from Ralph on what was needed. That’s why you see a lot of speed, a lot of size.”

St. Louis Blues D-man Jay Bouwmeester calls chance to play at Olympics a 'great opportunity'

Snubbed four years ago by Team Canada, local product Jay Bouwmeester will, at last, get an opportunity to play at the Olympics.

The St. Louis Blues defenceman was named to the Canadian roster Tuesday morning before stepping on the ice to face the Edmonton Oilers later that evening.

It’s the first time Bouwmeester will represent Canada at the Olympic tournament.

“I got a call from Doug Armstrong (Blues GM and member of Canadian management team) this morning, it’s pretty exciting stuff,” Bouwmeester said. “It wasn’t something I was thinking about or worried about. There is a lot of real good players. I’ve been on the other side, looking in and it’s not a lot of fun.

“It’s a great opportunity and it’s something that if you have the chance to be a part of, it’s something special and it’s something you want to take advantage of.”

Bouwmeester has been outstanding for the Blues this season. Heading into Tuesday’s game against the Oilers, the six-foot-four, 212